Refugees
by Faithfulpurelight
Summary: An impulse buy in the marketplace of Tashbaan leaves Edmund with more than he bargained for.
1. 1: Impulse Buy

_Dedicated to Rose, my little sister. _

**Chapter 1: Impulse Buy**

I stalked through the crowded, filthy streets of Tashbaan, my foul mood matching the smell of unwashed bodies, and the stench of human and animal waste. People jostled one another, pushing to get to the desired stall where some Calormene merchant called out in a loud voice trying to sell his product. Herbs, spices, heavy exotic food, and the somewhat overpowering smell of perfume lingered in the air, mixing in with the foul. The Tarkaans and Tarkheenas of Calormen were paraded through the packed streets on litters, heading for the silk merchants, or farther into the bazaar. Children of varying ages and degrees of filthiness darted through the crowds, few of them playing, the majority of them working.

I continued my fury-driven pace, not knowing where I was really going. Right now I just wanted to be as far away from the palace and that pompous fool of a Tisroc as I could be. I had been hoping for some fresh air and maybe a glance of the river that surrounded this accursed city, but it was obvious that I had gotten turned around at some point in the confusing, winding roads of the city. All I could smell now was the market. At least I could not hear that awful poetry being quoted at me every time I spoke.

I blew out a heavy sigh. The meetings to finish this trade agreement had not gone well at all so far, and it was beginning to wear on my nerves. I didn't see why it was so hard to agree, and because the Tisroc decided to dance around an actual agreement I had missed Lucy's thirteenth birthday celebration. I had sent her some of the more lovely jewelry I had found here, seeing as she and Susan seemed rather fond of it, but that didn't make up for me missing her birthday.

"Tarkaans and Tarkheenas! You have come seeking strong, reliable workers, and here I give them to you. Gather round, as we begin the bidding!"

I glanced up sharply; the voice that called was loud but whiny in tone.

Disgust welled up as my eye caught the raised, rickety, wooden platform that stood in one corner of the market, the obvious reason mostly high-class Calormenes were here. A heavyset man stood on the platform, a turban wrapped around his head. He was well groomed, obviously used to living a life of greater luxury than many other merchants who sold goods here. As I watched, he jerked a man forward, up the wooden stairs. I growled under my breath. My siblings and I alike hated the practice of slavery, but as a visiting monarch there was little I could do.

"Now sirs, here's lot twenty three. Fine Terebinthian stock. He's suitable for hard labor, or to carry that litter for you. Under twenty-five years of age, and not bad looking. Good, brawny fellow. Remove this man's shirt, and show all these fine people what a well-built example he is. There, see the muscle on this man! Is he not one of the most finely suited for work that any of you have laid eyes on? Twenty-five crescents from the gentleman in the corner. You must be joking, sir!"

The auctioneer scanned the crowd. "Ah! Thirty crescents from the Tarkaan over there. Very good, my lord. Do I hear thirty-five? And there goes thirty-five crescents from gentleman in the corner. Forty crescents! Do I hear forty-five? Forty-five . . . Fifty crescents! Do I hear sixty? Sixty crescents! Do I hear more? Seventy . . . seventy-five crescents! Do I hear eighty? Going once? Going twice? Sold for seventy-five crescents to the Tarkaan in the center! Bring the boy over to him would you, Kazar?"

I turned to leave. Such a trade was disgusting, and I did not want to watch the horrid practice. I was glad that we had banned the slave trade in the Lone Islands and felt a pang of despair that we could do nothing for those here.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

I whirled around. That voice had sounded very young and frightened. I hadn't thought that the merchants would be selling children. I focused on the stand once more to see a struggling boy pulled up the stairs. He looked no older than ten, with messy dark brown, or perhaps black, hair. He was covered in dirt and filth, and it looked as if he might have taken a beating or two recently. I felt my blood boil.

"Get down, runt." I saw Kazar kick someone down the stairs. I kept my eyes on the boy. I didn't want to watch this happen, but I couldn't pull myself away. The boy that was being auctioned off was fighting, but not as though he was frightened for himself. He fought for whatever he had left behind him.

"Jarid!" The cry rang through the bazaar. The boy on the stand battled harder, trying to get back to whatever he had been taken from. My heart gave a painful wrench. That was exactly what Peter would be doing in this kind of a situation for Susan, Lucy, and me.

Whoever Kazar was struggling with won the fight and dashed up the stairs. A younger boy threw himself at the slave merchant, grappling with his hold on the older boy. They must have been related, or very good friends.

"Let 'im go, you monster!" I watched as he ripped at the merchant, my stomach doing flips. There was no way I was going to let this slave trader separate siblings. With my mind made up, I pushed my way toward the block.

"Stop!"

The slave merchant turned to look at me. I glared at him, surging up the steps.

"Can I help you my lord?" he asked, obviously unsure about how to handle this new situation.

"Let go of the boy," I warned, motioning for the other child to come nearer to me. He shook his head, and glanced back at his brother.

"Sir?"

"What do you think you are doing?" I glared at the merchant.

"Well, sir I need to make my living after all. As the poets say, _'On the frilled couch of life few can sit, but those who take comfort on the floor are Tash's children indeed.' _And thus as another illustrious poet puts it-"

As the slaver blinked and inhaled, considering his next rhapsodic platitude, I laid my hand on the hilt of my sword, my threat quite clear. "I have had my fill of your people's inane poetry. You shall be silent or I shall remove your ability to squeak."

My inevitable guards glanced at each other in amusement, and I held back a grimace. I was borrowing them from King Lune, forgoing my normal guards of Talking Animals and magical creatures to preserve the courage of Calormene men.

I let go of the hilt slowly and looked back up at the merchant, whose jaw mouthed unspoken rhymes. Raising my eyebrow, I reached for Shafelm's grip once more as the merchant's mouth snapped shut.

"These two seem like they're more trouble than they're worth to you, sir." I drawled the 'sir' across the sand of the marketplace. I could see the Calormen slaver entirely missed the sardonic insult. "I'll give you twenty crescents for the both of them."

"TWENTY CRESCENTS!? Foreign demon! You threaten my life, insult my poetry, and try to cheat me out of my livelihood! I'll not take less than one-hundred crescents for one of them!"

As the slaver purpled with embellished ire, I felt a tugging of my tunic. I looked down to see the younger boy tugging my tunic. The older one pointed to a cage off the edge of the platform where a younger boy and girl cowered with pleading eyes. I sighed.

"Please sir," the older boy pleaded, great tears now welling in his eyes. "We're family."

I looked down into the boy's watery brown eyes, and then slowly nodded. Some way, some how, I'd make the deal and face Peter's admonishments later. It wasn't as though it would take much to convince Peter anyway, he was a sap for a sweet smile. My brother had a good heart, and wouldn't be able to walk away from this situation.

"Seventy crescents? I wouldn't go higher than forty crescents for the four of them all together!"

The slaver's eyes bulged. ""Forty? These are prime servant material, milord. Why the little girl will make fine dressing slave for your lady. And the boys are natural footmen. If you insist on bidding for the lot, then I must say 120 crescents."

Concealing my intentions as best I could, I sneered. "120 Crescents? For children who look as if the first wind would blow them over? Surely you're not serious . . ."Glancing pointedly towards the thinning crowds around the stand, I said, "I might be willing to go as high as fifty for the lot of them."

"As the. . .You stand before me dressed as a foreign noble, yet you _are_ a thief. I've had upkeep on these children for three months and my carrying costs alone insist I take no less than 110 for them." He crossed his arms, stared past his nose, and twirled his mustache at me.

My sword hand twitched, but I regarded the merchant coolly. "I'd imagine that sixty-five crescents would more than compensate you for your trouble. They're thin enough that it's hard to believe they've eaten their fill recently." At this, I allowed my eyes to wander to the other merchants, as if his answer mattered little to me.

He briefly toyed with his mustache, as if considering my offer, while frowning deeply. "Sixty-five barely covers my cartage fees and victuals for the week's journey it took to bring them here." He grabbed the young boy before me, tugging his tunic tight across his belly, showing how full and round it was. "I take good care of my wares, sir and will not have that disparaged. Ninety shall be my final offer to you this day."

I held back a bitter laugh. There was no such thing as 'final offer' with men like him. I did not want these children to stay here, to be split up and sold to homes were no one really wanted them. I could provide them somewhere better to live, where they were free, just as long as I got him to agree on the price. I looked at the youngsters in front of me, pretending to consider. "Seventy-five."

A bark of laughter startled those bargaining at nearby stalls. "You drive quite the bargain, noble sir. I shall sing the praises of your skill tonight when I give Tash his tithe. Since I like you, I'll let you have them for eighty-five crescents and I'll throw in the chains at no charge."

Before the merchant could quibble further, I placed the requisite number of coins down in front of him. "Done. . .and you can save your poetry to use on someone else."

His laughter continued as he clapped me on the shoulder. Reaching into his belt I watched him pull out marking tools and a hammer. "Your name, sir?

I blinked. "My name?"

"Yes, your name. I am required to record all transactions for the assessor. Also," he held up the wrist of the younger boy to show the dangling blank tag attached to the manacle. "I must mark your property before turning it over to you."

In case the threat to immortalize me in verse had substance, I gave him the first name that came into my head. One that was not any well-known rulers of Archenland, or someone important from Narnia. It happened to be that of my horse. "Phillip."

He proceeded to mark each tag on the children and hand their chains and keys over to me before cheerfully wishing me a prosperous day and pocketed his gold. I stepped off the platform and hurried as far away from the market as fast as the children could walk.

The air smelled cleaner when I stopped higher up in the city, among the homes of the wealthier class. I took a deep breath and turned to look at the children I had just bought. The first thing that was to be done was take the shackles off. I hated the sight of anyone in chains, but seeing children in shackles was too much. I bent down and quickly unlocked them before tossing them away.

I stood back, trying to get a good look at them. They were all covered in dirt and soot, and I wondered when any of them had last had a bath. The oldest was the one that had been called to in the slavers market, the boy named Jarid. It was obvious up close that his hair was dark brown, and even messier than I had originally thought. His eyes were a dark umber brown, and it looked like underneath that filth his skin might have a gold tan. I wasn't sure, but I knew Susan would be able to tell.

I looked at the younger boy who had drawn my attention back to the bidding earlier. He was a bit paler than his older brother, with a lighter golden tan. His hair was a mess of light, sandy brown curls, and his eyes were a dark brown. He had a spattering of freckles across his nose, and I could tell from his stance that he thought I was going to be trouble. I already knew from the slave market that he would go to any lengths to protect his siblings, and it was obvious we had something in common there. I grinned.

The two youngest clung to each other and were partially hidden behind their older siblings. They were similar in looks, and I wondered if their personalities were as alike as their appearances. They had the same messy brown hair as their brothers, but their most striking feature was their eyes. Lucy would call the color amber brown, but they also had flecks of gold in them, as well as green. It was as if their eyes had stubbornly decided to be not just one color, but several. They were tan, just like Jarid, and obviously frightened out of their minds. I wondered if they had Calormen blood in their veins. Not as fair as Narnians or as dark as the Calormenes, they reminded me of some of the people I had met in King's Lune's court in Anvard. It was not uncommon for Archenlanders on the southern border of that land to intermarry with their Calormene neighbors. I imagined that if these four were cleaned up they would fit right in with any family living on the River Winding Arrow.

In fact, they all appeared frightened. Even the two older boys, though protective of each other and their siblings, could not hide that they were shaking just as badly. I wished I had some way to reassure them, but I was at an utter loss.

"No one is going to hurt you, I promise," I finally said, knowing that too many times that had been uttered as a lie.

The younger boy snorted. "Yeah? That's what they all say. What makes you so different?"

I grinned, even though grimacing was probably a better idea. I had been right when I picked him out as the troublesome one. I saw Jarid shoot him one of those silent brother-like warnings. My grin widened, and I wondered if Peter and I were ever that obvious.

"I happen to abhor the practice of slavery, little one. I just bought you and all of your siblings to keep you from being separated. And if that isn't enough to convince you . . ." I paused, a pang of pain ripping through my heart as I looked at them. What had these children been through? "Then I suppose time is just going to have to show you that I am telling you the truth."

All four of them looked at me with wide, questioning eyes. "What are your names?" I asked to make conversation. I did not want to bring these children back to Narnia without being able to introduce them to the court, our teachers, our friends, and my siblings.

"What's yours?" This time it was Jarid who spoke.

I smiled softly. "I am King Edmund the Just, co-ruler of Narnia with my sisters Queen Susan and Queen Lucy, and my brother High King Peter. I am also the Duke of the Lantern Waste, Count of the Western March, and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Table."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the blank stares I received. I suppose it was a bit of a shock, finding out one of the Kings of Narnia had just purchased you.

"Honestly?" whispered the little girl. My smile widened. She was an angel, just like Lucy.

"Honestly."

I watched as Jarid gave me a long appraising look, as though deciding if I could be trusted with something as simple as his siblings' names.

I did not rush him. That would only destroy what I was working towards. I did wonder though, trying to understand what they could have gone through in such young lives. Jarid looked about the age Lucy had been when she had come to Narnia. Finally, he drew a breath and spoke, motioning to each of his siblings as he did.

"I'm Jarid, and just so you know, I'm nine. That's Ollie, I mean Oliver," he gestured to the boy with sandy curls, and I smirked. "He is six, no sorry, just turned seven." I held down a laugh as Oliver glared at his brother. Obviously he was very proud of his new age.

"And the twins are called Cyrus and Cole, and they are . . ." He paused to look to Oliver. "They're six now?" Oliver nodded the affirmative. "Yes, they're six."

"Pleased to meet all of you. My name, as you already know, is Edmund, and no you do not need to call me King Edmund, thank you. I turned fifteen a while ago. I have an older brother named Peter, He's that High King I mentioned, and he is eighteen now. I have two sisters, named Susan and Lucy. Susan is seventeen, and Lucy is the youngest of us, she just turned thirteen two days ago."

I felt a tug on my tunic again, and looked down to see Cole clutching my sleeve in her hand, leaning as far away as her twin would allow.

"King Edmund?" she whispered, her voice quiet and sweet.

"Yes, Cole?"

"What are you going to do with us?" I saw every last head jerk up, and I knew they were all listening.

I thought about that. I hadn't given it too much thought, other than to get them away from that awful slave trader, but she brought up a very good question. What _was_ I going to do with them? I couldn't very well leave them to wander Tashbaan, they were likely to get snatched up again, and they would be homeless. Neither could I simply drop them at the doorstep of Archenland. And I wouldn't subject anyone, especially a group like this, to living in the Tisroc's palace with all his ridiculous rules. That left Narnia, where I was sure any number of our subjects would take in any of these lovely children. But I had an idea that no one would take in all four of them, and I could not forget Jarid, tears streaking down his face whispering, _'We're family.'_

Which left me where? Having them move into Cair Paravel? The Cair was defiantly large enough to house these four, considering the host of guests we housed on any number of occasions. They would be welcomed with open arms, and treated as children should be treated. They would be taught by teachers similar to those who taught my siblings and me, and I could see them becoming perfect ladies and gentlemen. But I wasn't the only one who lived in the Cair, and having them move in might be a last resort. Some might even see it as by taking in Jarid and his siblings, the Pevensies had adopted heirs. That was not my intention. Would our subjects accept these orphans, seeing as they had come from Calormen? It was hard to say. There was no lost love between the two countries, for many reasons, including their practice of slavery.

"We can take care of ourselves you know. We don't need your help, or your charity," Oliver spat, breaking into my musings. He must have thought that my taking too long meant I was trying to think of a good lie. He continued on though, not allowing me to explain.

"After all, it's not like you've handled things well so far."

I frowned, thoroughly confused. "What do you mean?"

"How you haggled. You went from saying you would only give fifty crescents for us, to sixty-five. That's a fifteen crescent increase. I've watched too many lords haggle over someone, and they only go up by fives or tens. A fifteen crescent increase showed him how desperate you actually were, even if you didn't act it. You made it way too obvious."

I blinked. He was obviously smart.

"Ollie, shut your mouth," Jarid snarled, glaring at his younger brother.

"Can you read or write?" I asked, curious now. Jarid shrugged, as though the ability to read and write was not something to worry about. Perhaps for him, it had never been. The life of a slave could not have taught them anything resembling literacy.

"I could, a long time ago, but Mother never got around to teaching anyone else before . . ." he trailed off.

"Before she passed away?" I asked gently. He nodded mutely.

"I see," I murmured. I was thinking of my own father, who was worlds away, and who had left us so suddenly. I thought of our mother, putting us on the train to Professor's, and still doing the right thing no matter how much it pained her to do so. My siblings and I had all lost family members, in different ways then perhaps death, but it was obvious it hurt just as much either way.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the twins, Cyrus and Cole, blink sleepily. With a jolt, I realized how tired they all must be. There was no telling when the last time they had gotten a decent night of sleep was, or if they had even slept the night before. But before I could suggest going to my rooms up in the palace of the Tisroc, they both swayed forward, ready to hit the ground. I lurched forward to catch them, placing one of them on either hip, their heads both coming to rest on my shoulders. My guards moved forward to take the children from me, but I shook my head. I didn't want to frighten Cyrus or Cole, and handing them off to my guards would not help me gain their trust. This was something I needed to do.

"Come on; let's head back to my quarters. Your brother and sister are exhausted."

The other two followed without another word, and I made sure to keep an eye on them as we made our way up through the crowded streets. It seemed to take a lifetime before we reached the walls, fountains, and groomed lawns of the palace. Now I knew how my mother had felt when she had taken us into London. Two servants hurried to open one of the side doors, and I shoved Jarid and Oliver in front of me so they were not shut out. I saw the two servants exchange curious looks, but they said nothing. Let them wonder.

Another servant opened the door to my room, and this time I caught the guilty glance that Jarid threw their way. He obviously felt as though he did not deserve to have this done for him, and it was a habit I hoped he would leave behind in time.

Martil, my valet, met me at the door, his expression one of shock and dismay as he eyed the children that I carried. I grinned, and nodded my head towards the two boys that stood behind me.

"I've made a few purchases, Martil."

"They have fleas!" Martil exclaimed in a low, horrified, voice.

"I probably do too now, but worry not; there was no charge for the fleas." My grin widened, enjoying every moment of his distress. I moved around his petrified form, continuing on to the bed chamber. I saw Jarid edge around Martil, trying to stay as far away from him, and as close to his siblings as possible. I held back a chuckle.

I settled Cyrus and Cole on my bed, pulling the silky comforter down and motioning to the others. They had to be tired; I could see it in their posture, even as they stared longingly at the mounds of pillows and soft blankets.

"Come on," I coaxed, as I turned my gaze back to Jarid and Oliver. I said nothing, allowing them to make their own decisions, and soon after Jarid was helping Oliver up onto the soft mattress.

I tucked the comforter around them and waited until they all were fast asleep, looking far more peaceful then when they were awake. Perhaps they trusted me more than either side realized. I looked towards the door to see Martil staring at me.

"Please send a message to the Tisroc, Martil. I desire to meet with him," I requested. Martil nodded and disappeared for a moment, presumably to track down one of the court officials. This agreement would either be finished within a few days, or I was leaving for Narnia. I didn't think I could handle four children without my siblings, and I couldn't wait to be home anyway. This presented the perfect excuse.

"Your Majesty?" I turned to look at my valet. My poor, suffering faun valet. I put him through so much, and enjoyed every minute of it.

"The message has been sent to the Tisroc, and now you are going to bathe."

"Martil, really I do not need a flea bath!" I protested, trying not to chuckle.

"Would you embrace your brother right now?" the faun queried. I didn't even need to consider it.

"Yes."

Martil glowered at me. "Would you hug one of your sisters?"

"Susan would squirm, and Lucy would hit me, so no."

"Exactly. To the bath, King Edmund."

"Peter would let me hug him," I grumbled as I followed Martil towards the washroom.

"King Peter also kissed the skunk, Lady Ambergriet, on her birthday."

"She's the sweetest skunk we know, Martil! Besides, Silvo kissed her."

I paused at the door, and glanced back at the sleeping figures on my bed. What had I gone and gotten myself into?


	2. 2: Home Sweet Home?

_Enjoy! This story has been popular so far, and I hope you all continue to love it!_

**Chapter two: Home Sweet Home?**

I stumbled off the boat as quickly as my legs would carry me, with Jarid following close behind. I had spent days on that ship, and while my siblings, especially my sister, thought that the _gentle rocking_ was hardly noticeable, I would disagree. I hadn't been sick, and if I believed in any higher power I would have praised them for small favors. Jarid had found humor in my condition, and I knew that was what older brothers were for, especially my older brother. Despite all the poking fun at each other that Mother had always complained about, we really did watch over each other.

That was why, even if I wasn't feeling well, I had watched King Edmund like one of those rotten scavenger birds watched a dying animal out in the Calormene deserts. It wasn't terribly hard to gain the trust of my sister. She was still very young and liked to see the good in everyone, even when that good didn't exist. And it was very easy to see why she wanted to trust this stranger. He had been good to us so far, but how long would that last? Cyrus and Cole were only six, and easily influenced by a kind word. But they trusted us without a second thought. They did not take kindly to strangers, and we had known this man for all of a few days. Still, they had stopped gripping each other so tightly in his presence, even with the new crew around, though they refused to let go of each other's hands. That in itself was an accomplishment, good for this foreign king, but not so good for my family.

And Jarid. My brother was somewhat relaxed in King Edmund's presence, instead of jumping at every sound like he usually did. I had felt betrayed for a bit, after all we were the two who were supposed to look out for this family. Why was he going soft and trusting this man? On the other hand, I remembered a similar situation from when I had been younger. I too, had trusted when I should not have, and it had fallen to Jarid to watch out for the family. He was human after all, and prone to mistakes. I was too, but I couldn't be wrong this time. Right? No matter how nice they looked or acted, no matter the fancy titles they carried, everyone was cruel. No one could be trusted.

No one but Jarid knew that I remembered that evening when our mother had followed our father to that cold dark place that awaited all of us at the end of our lives. I remembered the next morning clear as day, when we had been forced out of the home we had known because our parents had debts that four children could never hope to pay off. It didn't matter that they had left us homeless, without food, or without many clothes. I couldn't forget the greedy look in the villagers' eyes as they almost literally kicked us out, not even allowing us to give our mother any kind of burial.

I remembered when our first master picked us up on the side of the road, almost two months later. Jarid had been desperate to have proper shelter instead of dirt, and food that we hadn't dug up or stolen. The man had seemed nice, and I had been naive. We all had been so young and foolish. Jarid had whispered words of comfort and encouragement, perhaps even joy. We were told we would have work for our living, but we were used to that. Mother and Father hadn't been anywhere near well off, and we could all put in a good day's labor. We would all be fine.

I could see the first time he had raised his fist to Jarid in my mind's eye. My older brother had come in covered in dark bruises, and I could still feel the hot angry tears flowing down my cheeks. But Jarid had made me swear not to do anything stupid, or provoke the master. I had agreed with ill grace. I wondered back then, what Jarid had done to deserve it. He made it perfectly clear that it had been his mistake, something we were not to repeat, even if he never said what the mistake was. But as I grew up, and changed hands again and again, I learned that people could and _would_ hurt you because they wanted to.

Jarid and I had tried to stop any master who bought us from hurting Cyrus or Cole. We had become a team, equals despite my youth. He trusted me, even if hated seeing me put myself into situations like that. We were largely successful, and I don't think that any fist or hand was raised to Cyrus or Cole more than twice.

But the first beating I received . . . that was something that still haunts me to this day. I remembered the pain above all else, as well as the tears and the hurled insults. It was the first, and last time, I had ever begged for it to stop. What hurt more, were Cole's silent tears, and the look on Jarid's face. It looked as though something was burning him. I fell into a deep sleep soon after, nightmares plaguing me in dreams then as well as now.

Those memories were burned in my mind now, and they made me far more cautious. I was not going to be taken in, no matter how nice King Edmund looked. And on the off chance that he was as nice as he had been acting, that meant nothing about his brother, or any of the other lords we would be around. I was worried though. If it turned out I was right, how did you escape a palace? And where would we go? We didn't know this land like we knew Calormen, which would make any get away harder on our part, if not impossible.

As the rest of my family followed my older brother and me ashore, I finally turned and noticed the gathering before us. I blushed, my cheeks burning, and took a quick step back. Had everyone in Narnia come to welcome their king back? It certainly looked it. There were great Cats, and other Animals, what I thought were Centaurs from what King Edmund had explained, and a few creatures with horns, hooves, and hairy legs that utterly terrified me called Fauns. Even though some of the creatures had accompanied King Edmund to Calormen, I still was very frightened of them, not matter how much time I spent in their company.

But these creatures couldn't hold my attention for long, no matter how whimsical and imaginary they looked. In the front of the crowd, dressed in simple finery that outshone the gaudy dress of the Calormen lords, were three humans. I had never seen clothes of this style before, and they looked comfortable.

The youngest girl dashed forward quickly, throwing herself into King Edmund's outstretched arms. She lingered in his embrace for a few minutes before drawing back to look curiously at my siblings and me, an almost heartbreaking expression written in her eyes. I wondered if she understood exactly what King Edmund had brought home. She was dressed in flowing burgundy and a snug ivory top. Her hair was long, with only pieces of it braided back. I thought that in normal circumstances, she would be pleasant to be near, almost as if she was usually radiating an unparalleled joy. I was almost sure that she could be trusted, and my heart lightened a little.

"Is that your wife?" I asked. In Calormen, it was often common to see Tarkaans and Tarkheenas marrying at such a young age. King Edmund laughed, stooping to give the girl a peck on her cheek. I supposed that answered my question with a yes.

The other two stood at the dock, and it seemed like they were trying to hold themselves back from doing the exact same thing the younger girl had done. The older boy broke away first, following just as quickly after the first girl. His hair was a strange yellow, his clothes a darker red. The fabric looked like a rich velvet.

"Edmund?" The girl's voice sounded strained. I wondered why she didn't call him king, but if they were married, that would make sense. King Edmund sighed.

"I know Luc," was his only answer before the oldest boy skidded to a stop at the base of the gangway, his eyes widening as he saw my siblings clinging to the king. I inched closer to King Edmund as Jarid did, my hand reaching out to grab my older brother's.

The blond took the last few steps forward, pulling King Edmund into a quick hug. He pulled back to grin at King Edmund as the last girl, dressed in a dark hunter green, stepped into his embrace. King Edmund relaxed before pulling back to look pointedly at us. The older boy arched an eyebrow.

"Peter, Susan, Lucy, may I introduce Jarid, Oliver, Cyrus and Cole?" He turned to us, his eyes full of warmth. "And these are my siblings. Queen Lucy, Queen Susan, and Peter, the High King."

My heart dropped into my stomach. "But I thought you were king," I murmured, trying not to show how disappointed I truly was. King Edmund smiled in understanding.

"We all rule equally, Oliver," he said, massaging my hair gently. I jerked my head away after a moment. I saw the High King grin, and glowered at him too for good measure.

"Apparently you have a story to tell us, Ed?" The High King smiled, almost as though he was teasing King Edmund.

"I'll tell you when we're back home," King Edmund said, and I caught the glance he cast our way.

King Edmund stepped onto Narnian earth, and I was surprised when he bent and kissed the ground. Were we supposed to the same thing? No one told any of us to, however, and I didn't relish the idea of putting my lips to dirt, so we bypassed that tradition. We followed King Edmund as he fell in step with his brother and older sister. The younger sister he had named as Queen Lucy walked a bit behind, staying next to us as we made our way towards their home.

I looked up at the towering palace that was set into the cliff side above us. What King Edmund called a palace, I considered a small city. It was small by Calormen standards, which really meant little seeing as the people of my blood thought the more lavish, the better. There was something about the shining white marble that softly whispered safety, and home. I snorted, trying not delude myself. Safety and home did not exist anymore, not for us. I wondered bitterly if those quiet words would ever exist for my family in anything other than a fantasy.

I was tense and on edge as we passed through the doors of Cair Paravel, trying not to listen to the murmurs that had followed us since we were greeted by the escort. We were cleaner then we had been in some time, although that meant little. The king had tried to make us as presentable as possible, which included bath after bath, and a comb. I snorted. My hair had never agreed with combs. I self-consciously scrubbed at my mouth, were sticky jam lingered from this morning's breakfast.

I tried not to be impressed by the simple grandeur that echoed from every corner of the corridors and rooms we passed through. This was just another prison, although it echoed a soothing serenity that calmed my frazzled nerves. I was taken by surprise. Everything I felt about the palace said that it was safe to trust its king, or was that kings now? My heart ached for the kindness it alluded too, but my instincts held me back. Trust was earned, not given.

But Jarid trusted him . . . didn't that mean something? I wasn't sure anymore. I watched as my little brother and my sister stuck close to King Edmund as we entered an enormous hall. Large white columns stood every few feet, the floor beneath my feet felt smooth and hard, some stone I had never encountered. I heard Cyrus gasp in delight as he grabbed Cole's arm. I followed his gaze upwards to see a roof of delicate glass sparkling with the sun's rays. And up ahead stood four marble thrones that I would always think were much more pleasing to look at then the Tisroc's ostentatious throne no matter how many times I returned to Calormen.

I paused, and wondered since we were in Narnia now and not home in Calormen if we needed to address the High King in such a way. Did we still need to add, 'may he live forever' after the Tisroc's name was murmured? I hoped not.

I followed King Edmund and his siblings through another set of doors, my own family pressing right behind Jarid and me. This room was smaller, more like a chamber than an outright hall, and not nearly as frightening. The creatures who followed behind us were smaller in number as well. I let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding. I hadn't realized how very scared I had been being around so many strange beings and it irked me. Fear was a weakness, and I refused to be weak.

We stood as close to King Edmund as we could without pushing him over. I saw Cyrus and Cole grab his tunic again, and despite myself, I pressed closer to Jarid as well, needing to feel some sort of body near me. They were the only thing I knew here, and I felt like I could suddenly feel cracks running through my own armor.

"Ed?" King Peter asked, glancing at us.

"They can live in the castle with us. After all, we have the room." King Peter nodded.

"Well of course! We can hardly stack them in a storage room!" Queen Susan remarked, and I tensed. The storage room? Did she really mean that? Surely King Edmund wouldn't do that to us, he had promised not to hurt us.

"Susan, you're scaring them! She didn't mean that. I'll supervise the making of your rooms, and you won't be living in the storage room," Queen Lucy glared at her sister, daring her to retort. Queen Susan smiled sweetly, taking a step towards us. I saw Queen Lucy turn to speak to someone with blue skin and long white hair.

"Please go and set up a room for the children. Could you also get hold of a healer, and let them know that they are on alert? These children look ready to drop. Oh, and tell the kitchens to prepare an extra large supper."

She then knelt down, holding a hand out to us. Queen Susan followed suit. I exchanged a glance with Cyrus as he looked back at me. Had we missed something very important? Jarid shrugged, but did not take a step closer to either queen. The moments ticked by, and it was Cyrus and Cole who took those steps forward. Cole placed her hand in Queen Susan's, and Cyrus followed quickly, as I knew he would. He never went anywhere without Cole, and Cole without him. Cyrus tripped, practically falling into Queen Lucy's arms. Queen Lucy stood, balancing my brother on her hip as she walked out of the room. Queen Susan and Cole followed, and it fell to King Peter and King Edmund to handle Jarid and me. I blinked, trying to ward off any form of sleepiness.

King Peter smiled and leaned against the wall, probably preparing himself for an extremely long wait. If they thought I was going to give in without a fight, they were wrong and I had been glad to see King Peter taking precautions.

I wasn't tired, not in the slightest. I tried to stifle a yawn. I hadn't slept so well on the ship these past few weeks, and I was more tired then I had thought.

I blinked once more, trying to rid myself of the sleepiness I could feel creeping up on me. I wasn't tired, and I didn't plan on letting King Edmund or his brother take me anywhere. I leaned heavily on Jarid, trying to stay awake. It felt like my head was disconnected from my body, and I was just barely keeping my eyes open.

My mind screamed at my body to do something as King Edmund reached for me, but I was too tired to care. In truth he did not seem all that much of a threat. I shook my head stubbornly. I made to head for the door, knowing I could never reach the room right now, even if I knew where it was, but unwilling to allow anyone to carry me. I'm still not sure what I tripped on, perhaps the stones themselves, but before I could hit the cool, gray rock, he picked me up, allowing me to rest my head on his shoulder. I heard no complaints murmured to King Peter, and for some reason that made me rather pleased. I sighed, content and at peace. King Edmund had promised not to hurt my siblings, and since he hadn't yet, and had stood up for us, I supposed that he really might be trustworthy.

One person in a castle full of people. It was improvement. My eyes closed slowly, and I let my dreams of a better home take me away.


	3. 3: Present and Past

_Thank you for all your reviews, I love reading them and they really do keep me going. I hope enjoy this latest installment, while I go try and tackle chapter four._

**Chapter three: Present and Past**

I didn't trust him. I didn't trust _any_ of them. I had trusted people too many times, been disappointed, kicked around, and let down too often for me to put my trust in any of these new masters. I had a family to think about, and as the oldest, it was my duty to protect them. It was similar to how Cole liked to mother us from time to time. I could not let my guard down for a moment, no matter how tired I felt, or how comfortable I wanted to be in the environment. My siblings were more prone to trusting kind, poison-tipped words than I was. I was the one who needed to be on constant alert. It was a task that I took up without complaint.

A soft, cool breeze danced into the room from outside, moving the curtains a bit. I tensed, waiting for someone to emerge from the shadows, intent on hurting my family, or worse yet, taking them from me. It was several minutes before I relaxed again, settling myself more comfortably among the mess of pillows, quilts, extra blankets, and siblings. My eyes swept the room again out of habit, looking for anything out of place and cursing that I knew next to nothing about this bedroom. I didn't know anything more about Narnia, only the whispered rumors that floated across the sands. Barbarians, demons, a land of dark magic.

We had been brought here after dinner and told to rest. We were very tired, and even I had fallen asleep for a few hours. We had never eaten so much in one sitting, and the idea that the kings and queens would share such food with us was intriguing, to say the least.

Our first meal had certainly been full of surprises, especially the beginning.

_Cole's eyes widened and she clutched my hand tighter as we followed Queen Lucy and Queen Susan onto a balcony. It overlooked the sea that stretched along the horizon. The setting sun glanced off the surface, shimmering like the gems that I had seen adorning Tarkaans and their kin. I had seen the sea on our journey here, but I had not had time to enjoy it, especially because Oliver was throwing up every time ship lurched. This view surpassed anything we had seen aboard the ship. I gave a small smile when Oliver gasped in delight. I was glad my brothers and sister could experience the beauty of such a scene. _

_"It's like Paradise," Cyrus murmured. I saw Oliver hold back a barely-contained snort of laughter. He hadn't believed there was anything after this life except a black hole of nothing, and I had hadn't been too sure at the time myself. _

_We were ushered to our seats around a large table on the balcony, and I wondered how in all of Calormen they had managed to fit it through the door. I heard King Peter and Queen Susan talking and frowned, straining to catch the muttered words. It was no good. Their conversation was brief, and I resisted the urge to kick something. They could have been talking about something I could have used against them. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was not a child anymore, despite what my age dictated, and I should act more like an adult. _

_More strange creatures brought out platters with meats and breads for the meal, and I barely refrained from jumping. I peered closer at the creatures with cloven feet and hairy legs, the initial shock of their appearance passed. They had a charm about them, despite how terrifying they seemed at first glance. Animals of all kinds followed, some of them chattering between themselves about trivial topics. And the food they were carrying! I hadn't seen that much food ever before, at least that I could remember. It was certainly the best my siblings and I had been in the presence of in some time. Even when working for some of the richest of Tarkaans, we had never been kitchen slaves. We had been house keepers or fit for manual labor. _

_A breeze wafted the scents towards me, and my mouth watered. At the same time, a haunting melody drifted up from below us, voices in a soul-stirring song. I saw Cyrus, Cole, and Oliver jump at the sound, and wondered if I had as well. Cyrus and Cole smiled, and my gaze drifted towards Oliver, who was watching Queen Lucy. She was humming along with the twisting tune with very little trouble, as though by ear. I wondered briefly how often she had listened to the song to know it so well, and a well of envy sprang up in my chest. How was it fair that she was able to listen to such a beautiful song day in and day out, whereas my siblings and I had been suffering in repression? _

_King Peter chuckled, making us all start again. I glanced over at him, my jealousy forgotten for the moment. _

"_Mermaids," he supplied, catching King Edmund's gaze and the two shared a grin. Oliver glared in their direction, but I ignored them for the time being, making a mental note to warn him to lay off. The last thing we needed was to make these four angry with us. I looked at the sea again, unable to get enough of the dancing water. The view was addicting, and I could see why my sister had been so taken with the vision. _

_The melody continued to drift around us, weaving its way into my mind. Snaking towards my memories and games of pretend._

I was good at pretending; I always had been. Even when Mother and Father were alive I was good at making up the most outrageous games. The things that people imagined in fantasies were my favorite realities. Especially the ones where I was a great lord, like the ones I saw riding by every once in a while. I wanted to be someone of power, or position, someone who would be able to change things. And I would have liked the money that such a place offered. Too often I had heard my parents talking in low voices, worried about food or clothing. I never understood what they meant until after they were gone. Until it became my job to keep my sister and brothers fed.

As time passed, I became even better at the games of pretending. Oliver had his strengths, mostly the immoral practices of stealing, pickpocketing, or rifling through saddle bags; I had mine. I stopped caring about ethics somewhere early on after we had been kicked onto the streets. And so my talents became a way of life. My overactive imagination could twist any fast-held belief or conviction. I took pride in being such an excellent liar.

The talent which started out as pure and unsoiled creativity soon became an underhanded practice. I was good at what I did, and my gifts grew. Lying had become a habit only a year later, one that I was not inclined to break. I could make the masters believe almost anything, even taking the blame for things that had obviously not been my fault. I kept my family safe, and that meant that the necessary game of _'making people believe things that weren't_' was something I liked keeping around.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure that I** could **stop anymore. There was something exhilarating about being able to create a story on the spot and deliver it with a straight, honest face that people naturally trusted. Even Oliver, who knew me better than anyone else, could be taken in by such lies. I utilized everything in these bending of the truths, my face, my voice, and my overall posture. I was an expert, a master.

I wasn't the only person who could mislead someone though. Plenty of men were adept at the dangerous game I loved to play, and many would use my age and lack of strength against me. No matter how good you became at the game you played, there was always someone with a different set of skills who could present a challenge.

That was why I sat among my siblings, propped up against a pillow or two, my head leaning against the ornate headboard. I didn't trust King Edmund or his brother and sisters any farther than I would honestly advise anyone to trust me. Everyone with half a wit could lie, I knew that from experience, and I wasn't taking any chances.

I was terribly tired, but I had slept for far too long earlier today, far longer than I had planned actually. I jumped at the slightest sound that came from the corridor, waiting for someone to try and take my brothers and sister away. I glanced around at the room, once again trying to stifle an overpowering sense awe at the majesty and grandeur. It was reserved compared to the pomp of the Tarkaans' grand homes.

"Are they asleep?"

A low voice rasped outside our door and I went still, listening intently. 'They' probably meant us, and I was very interested in anything these Narnians had to say. The more information I gathered about those who lived and worked here, the better my arsenal of tricks would be. No one ever suspected me until it was too late.

"Yes, poor little dears, they must be exhausted," a second voice, more feminine, answered the first.

"Why isn't there a guard outside their door? They're from Calormen after all. We can't be too careful."

"They're just children. What harm could they do?"

"You'd be surprised what children can do, especially Calormenes. We need to look out for our kings and queens after all."

"Oh, what an awful idea! They certainly don't look dangerous."

"Until we're certain, we need to take every precaution."

I scowled into the darkness. We weren't that dangerous, and if anyone was to be feared, it was the Narnians. They were the ones in control of the situation, a fact that I was keenly aware of. Their kings and queens were not the ones who needed to fear, after all they were rulers of a country.

"I. . . I suppose so. If you really believe that is necessary."

The voices drifted away, leaving my world in comforting silence once more. I relaxed slightly, allowing the peace to take me back in its grasp. Apparently the servants and guards cared about their monarchs, and wanted to protect them. Perhaps I could use that to my advantage.

I was good at hearing things I wasn't supposed to as well. Part of being a master in my art was mixing a little bit of the truth into the lies you told once in a while. There was no better way to dupe people then to know things you shouldn't. It was entertaining actually, to watch men sweat, to see their eyes widen when they realized how much I really knew. I could almost see their faces purpling with rage, their fists clench, yearning to land that first blow. That was where Oliver and I really put our talents to work, keeping our younger siblings out of harm's way. We had eventually learned that if we provoked any of our masters first, the pain wasn't as bad. They were too angry to inflict more damage then bruises, and we controlled the situation.

I was never really happy that Oliver was by my side in those situations, my accomplis and partner in crime. I had always been a big brother first and foremost, and Oliver sometimes was more of my twin or best friend then a younger brother. I never let myself forget, but it was so much easier to push away that fact when I let him play with danger so often. I pushed the pain away, focusing on the necessity of his presence both for our brother and sister and for my own sanity, instead of admitting how worried I actually was for his safety.

I looked over at my brother. The bed was extremely large, leaving all of us to fit comfortably on it with room to spare, yet we all huddled together. We felt safer when we were pressed together, not for heat or for space but for protection. Cyrus lay to my left with Cole, each clutching each other's hand. Oliver was to my other side, and he was using my arm as a pillow.

"Jarid?"

I glanced over at my sister, her dark hair splayed across the pillow, tangled from sleep. She looked so innocent, and in truth she and Cyrus probably were still pristine when compared to Oliver or me. I was proud to have been able to keep her safe. She laid a hand to my arm, clutching the fabric as tightly as she held her twin's hand. I saw Cyrus peering at me, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes.

"What's wrong, Cole? Did you have a nightmare?" I worried, brushing a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. Nightmares were normal for Oliver or me. I knew that Cole and Cyrus had not been plagued by them yet, but it was a fear I carried, knowing it was only a matter of time.

They were already terrified of anything that moved during the day, but at night they seemed more at peace. They had no problems sleeping in any new surroundings, and nothing could wake them once they had fallen into a slumber.

Cole shook her head.

"No, we just wanted too . . ." She trailed off, glancing away from me. Cyrus picked up the train of thought, as I knew he would. They worked the same way every time. It was one thing about our life that was predictable.

"We wanted to ask you something." Cyrus leaned closer, his gaze sharpening. Cole angled closer as well, her expression mirroring her twin's. "Are we safe here?"

Such a simple question, and I knew there was no answer. I didn't think we were, but I was loathe to say something like that to them. I remembered asking the same question of my parents once, when it had been late and someone had pounded on the door, demanding repayment for some loan. I had crept from bed, and once the man had left I had asked, foolishly naive, the same question. _Are we safe?_

The answer was a resounding no, and I didn't think I had the heart to say it. As much as I did not want to give them false hope, I couldn't crush that desire either. Which left me with precious little to work with. What was I going to tell them this time: the truth or the lie?

I felt a tremor run through my body, and shifted quickly back towards Oliver. His face was scrunched up against whatever nightmare now held him in its grips, and as I watched he curled himself into a ball. His shaking worsened until he was visibly trembling. I bit my lip to keep from crying. Oliver was always the only person that could make me cry when moments before I had been dry-eyed. I knew that he wanted to scream, and I also knew with even more certainty that he wouldn't. He never did.

He awoke with a start, throwing himself forward, tears coursing down his cheeks. His breathing was shallow and panicked, and I pulled him into my arms. He didn't try to resist me; it was second nature for both of us now. Cyrus and Cole inched closer, frightened by his tears.

"Go back to bed you two. He'll be fine, I promise."

Our younger siblings nodded as one before settling down again, hands still intertwined. I smiled bitterly, glad at least that they would fall asleep quickly. I returned my attention to the brother in my arms, maneuvering both of us back against the pillows. I kept one arm around him, aware that the front of my tunic was soaked in tears.

"Jar?" His voice cracked and I winced.

"What was it this time, Ollie?" He shook his head almost imperceptibly, and I cursed under my breath. If there was a god in this world, be it Aslan, or Tash, or some other senseless deity, they had a cruel sense of humor for sending something so terrible to a child. His nightmare had been bad indeed if he didn't want to talk about it.

"Jar, are you . . .you're all right, right?"

"Course I am Ollie. Someone has to look out for you, right? Now go back to sleep. We don't know what's coming in the morning and we need to be ready."

I relaxed again, my body letting go of the extra tension. We were quiet for a time and I let my siblings' soft breathing lull me towards the welcoming dark. I was too tired to fight sleep. I had no hope of staying awake all night if I really thought about it. What I had told my brother was true, we would need our strength for the morning and whatever these rulers threw at us.

I was almost asleep when Oliver spoke, his voice drifting through the darkness, timid and tired.

"Jar, do you promise you'll never leave me?"

My heart wrenched. So that had been the real nightmare. I pulled him closer, my chin coming to rest on the top of his head.

"Oliver, I will never leave you. I swear by Mother and Father's graves."

Oliver finally relaxed, trusting in my word, and we let sleep take us. Who knew what tomorrow would bring?


	4. 4: Lessons

**I am so sorry the wait was so long everyone! College demanded attention and I had a huge case of writers block. Hope you like!**

**Chapter four:** **Lessons**

"How is it, you're not starving, Peter?" Edmund complained. He reached for the snozberry jam, a piece of bread already in hand. My own stomach rumbled, and I debated letting him get away with eating just so I could join him, and quiet my hunger before our sisters finally decided to arrive.

"Ed, save it." My brother shot me a dirty look, and I grinned.

"You know you're hungry too, Peter."

"Of course I am. But we wouldn't finish it all before the girls arrived, and that would be rude."

"So it wouldn't be considered rude if we finished the meal before they got here?" Edmund teased, and I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, clapping him on the back.

"It would be, but we could claim innocence."

Edmund sighed heavily, looking longingly at the food laid out before us. "What takes girls so long to get ready?" he muttered sourly.

I couldn't resist shooting back, my tone light, "The day I understand _what_ goes through a girl's mind, Ed . . ."

"You'll be a girl," he snorted, and I chuckled. "Maybe there's some sort of hair emergency. One of Lucy's curls won't lay right or something silly like that."

"Anything but that," I said in mock horror. Edmund nodded seriously.

"I'm afraid so, Peter. Of course, we wouldn't know anything about that."

"That's because you'll put on anything that Martil and Silvo lay out for you without a thought to what it looks like." Susan glided into the room, with Lucy following behind her.

I crossed the room in several strides and kissed each of my sisters on the cheek. Edmund did the same, and I smiled at Lucy, remembering what Silvo had told me just before I left. "Is that a new gown, Lu?"

My littlest sister glowed with pleasure. "It's the one Susan gave me for my birthday."

I saw Edmund make a face, and smiled at him as Lucy twirled to show it off. He was still sore that he had missed her birthday, as was I. No one had thought the trade agreement with Calormen would have taken so long. I jerked my head in Susan's direction, reminding him that Susan had also changed something, at least according to our valets.

"Did you try a new hairstyle, Su?"

"Honestly, Ed. You saw it yesterday!"

I chuckled. Poor Edmund, he hadn't been home long enough to catch up on everything that had changed. Neither of us would notice unless Silvo and Martil told us anyhow. It was just nice to have Edmund home again, and I knew my sisters agreed.

"Seeing it in a new light helps of course, and it looks lovely, Su." My brother flashed Susan a disarming smile and I winked at Lucy. She stifled a giggle as we watched Edmund charm our sister. It was good to have him home. I saw my youngest sister bite her lip to hold back her laughter as he continued to try to talk his way out of ignorance. Lucy's stomach rumbled, and she flushed pink as we turned to glance at her.

"Not to interrupt or anything, but do you suppose we could eat?"

I chuckled as Edmund looked indignant. "We've been waiting for you!" he grumbled as we sat down.

"Our thanks, mighty Aslan, for this bounty set before us," Lucy murmured. I nodded, and glanced up in time to my brother grab the snozberry jam from under Susan's outstretched hand.

"Ed!"

Edmund smirked and covered his bread with the sticky jam before handing it over to Susan. "I'm a growing boy, Su, I need to eat. And more importantly, I need to eat a good Narnian meal again."

"Do you ever _stop_ growing?" Susan teased, before spreading the jam on her own roll.

"You ate dinner here last night too," Lucy pointed out, helping herself to some eggs. I started piling eggs and sausage onto my plate, now that my siblings all had something to eat too. I chuckled.

"She has you there, Ed,"

"That was dinner. This is breakfast, which is a completely different meal. And I have not had a Narnian breakfast in too long. Calormene breakfasts are quite different." Edmund made a face as Lucy helped herself to some rice. She grinned, and held out the serving spoon.

"Want some rice, brother dearest?"

"No!" Edmund yelped, shooting a dark glare at the bowl of rice.

"It has raisins," Lucy smiled innocently.

"I hate raisins."

"You didn't last year."

"I could avoid them at every meal a year ago," Edmund muttered darkly. I chuckled, and wondered how long it would take for my brother to willingly have rice again. Susan stifled a laugh of her own and laid a hand on Edmund's arm. He chanced a glance away from the rice to look inquiringly at her.

"Tell us about your time in Calormen. I'm sure you have some wonderful stories."

Edmund brightened considerably, a wicked smile growing. I leaned back in my chair a bit, certain that there were some entertaining stories hidden behind that smile.

"Where shall I start?"

"Tell them about Prince Rabadash," I offered, remembering one of the letters I had received, detailing the encounter. Edmund nodded and his smile grew even wider.

"Prince Rabadash? What about him?" Lucy asked curiously.

"I had a run-in with him on the training grounds one morning at the beginning of my visit. Celer had just allowed me to sheath my weapons, since it was becoming too hot to train efficiently." He shot me a look here and I returned it with a sheepish smile. We had proved that training in the heat was an awful idea, and Oreius used our foolishness as an example for the new troops. I doubted my brother had any desire to repeat the incident, in Calormen no less.

"Prince Rabadash had just entered the grounds, shouting at one of his generals and using language I will not repeat in any lady's company. He was obviously in a foul mood, and when he spotted me, began bragging about the superiority of the scimitar when compared to the broadsword. I merely pointed out that everyone had their preferences, and I felt the scimitar was ill-suited for fighting." Edmund shrugged easily and I smirked. Lucy edged her chair closer, caught up in the story. Susan shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. She was just as interested as Lucy and I were, I knew. Edmund surveyed his audience briefly.

"He offered the idea of a friendly sparring match to prove his point, and I accepted. Needless to say, he is a good swordsman. However . . ."

"You won," Lucy cut in, her voice smug. Susan was grinning now as well, her eyes dancing.

"Lucy, don't interrupt the story," Susan chided. Lucy stuck her tongue out before turning back to Edmund. I knew how they felt. When I had read Edmund's letter Silvo felt the need to inform me that I was almost glowing with pride.

"What I was _going_ to say," Edmund rolled his eyes before continuing. "Was despite his natural skill, he is surrounded by teachers who let him win because they're afraid he'll execute them. So he hasn't really learned as much as he could. I did win, by the way, Lucy, much to his fury. He ended up challenging me to a game of chess later during my visit,"

"Which he also lost," Lucy surmised, confident in Edmund's skill in chess. Edmund reached out to ruffle her hair, and Lucy leaned towards Susan quickly. Susan leveled a glare at Edmund, who grinned and tilted back in his own chair once again. I smiled softly, content to have a normal breakfast again. I had missed the easy banter, and our room had very quiet and very cold without his presence.

"By the way, I know we asked for some souvenirs from Calormen, Ed, but you didn't need to bring us back children," I teased. Edmund shrugged uneasily.

"I couldn't leave them in the slave market, to be bought like livestock and separated from each other."

I nodded. Edmund had been right to buy the four children from the slaver. He had recounted the adventure for us last night after dinner, and I knew that any one of us would have done the same. I was just glad to have Edmund home, really, as it had been far too long since he had been here.

"We'll need to find them a tutor soon," Susan stated, sipping her tea. Edmund nodded thoughtfully, and I could practically see him going through a list of Cair Paravel's most learned scholars. I smiled and winked across the table at Lucy. She giggled and reached for her own tea.

"Their rooms are ready too," she reported. Susan smiled fondly at her and I nodded, making a mental list of everything that needed to be done regarding our new wards.

"I doubt they plan on leaving Cole's room for a while though. I can't say I blame them either," Edmund admitted quietly. Lucy bit her lip and I frowned, both at my youngest sister's reaction and in contemplation of what Edmund had said.

"I suppose the only thing we can do is wait for them to trust us," Susan murmured, stirring her tea.

"What do you think of them?" Edmund asked, folding his arms. "I've been able to get to know them over the past few weeks."

"What was your first impression?" I asked, curious.

"They all seem sweet and extremely close. Cyrus and Cole are quiet, but once we get passed that fear they'll be curious of everything, I think. Jarid is just as protective as you are." He nudged my foot under the table and I grinned. "But we just have to show him that his siblings are safe and he'll follow soon enough. Oliver is going to be trouble though, I can tell. He'll be a handful."

"I agree with you," Lucy piped up, and Susan nodded. I shrugged.

"I think they'll come around given time. I also think we need to find them a nursemaid. Someone who's had children and knows how to handle several at once."

"Let me handle that. I want to find them a tutor too," Edmund offered. My smile widened, and I nodded.

"Come on, we're going to be late for classes if we don't hurry," Susan chided, standing gracefully. Lucy, Edmund, and I followed suit.

"Why don't we take the children down to the beach this afternoon? We don't have court today, and they seemed to really enjoy the sea last night at dinner." I looked up to see Lucy brushing crumbs from her skirts before looking expectantly at the rest of us. Susan smiled, and I saw Edmund's eyes brighten.

"Good idea Lu, I think they'll enjoy that. And so will we!" I grinned. Edmund laughed and pushed me towards the door.

"Lets go before we're late!"

**OoOoO**

Edmund didn't so much receive a lesson as give one to Cheroom that morning. Calormene customs, culture, food, politics, astronomy, and religion were all explained in as much detail as my brother could give, and it seemed his teacher always had another question ready whenever Edmund drew breath. My own teacher, a Great Horned Owl by the name of Lewiston, had fallen asleep less than half an hour into my lesson, and I had been more than happy to join my brother.

"They don't consider the stars a living race either. To them, they're balls of gas that shine simply because of the gas they give off, and not because they choose to. They don't really believe in the song or dance of the stars. Their constellations are more about great heros and weapons, and they have several which are dedicated to the Tisroc currently residing on the throne," Edmund explained.

There was a knock on the door and we all turned as one to see a Faun, Captain Erasmus, enter. Edmund and I exchanged looks, confused by the interruption. Unless it was important, we were never interrupted during lessons. I frowned, running through several imagined situations in my head, trying to guess what the problem could be.

"Captain Erasmus, what seems to be the trouble?" I asked, standing up. Edmund followed only seconds after me, watching the Faun with concern. Erasmus took a deep gulp of air, trying to catch his breath. We waited patiently, letting the guard take several deep breathes.

"I was sent for King Edmund. His presence is needed on the east balcony."

I glanced at Edmund, who shrugged in return before facing Erasmus. "What's wrong?"

"Your wards. They seem to be frightened. We can't calm them down. We were wondering if you had any suggestions."

Edmund nodded and we both looked to Cheroom. The Centaur smiled to himself, watching us both with a thoughtful look. He folded his arms, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "These would be your charges you brought back from Calormen?"

Edmund nodded to the affirmative again, watching his teacher curiously. Cheroom nodded as well, seeming lost in thought. My brother waited patiently, used to this type of behavior from his mentor. Erasmus shifted, already nervous enough by the change in schedule that the children had caused.

"What do you intend to do about this situation?" Cheroom asked. I watched as Edmund's eyes lit up, and felt my own smile grow in response. I knew my brother well enough to know he had missed these kinds of challenges, these quizzes. He stayed silent for several moments, thinking through several scenarios.

"I think, this is the type of situation I should handle in person," he answered. Cheroom's smile widened slightly, and he nodded.

"I agree. That sounds to be the best course of action. You're both excused." Edmund and I both nodded and offered bows before turning to follow Erasmus to the east balcony. "Oh, and King Edmund?"

Edmund paused, halfway out the door, and I in turn waited for him in the corridor. "I expect to meet these children very soon," Cheroom added. Edmund grinned, chuckling to himself.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way." Cheroom nodded, dismissing my brother again, and we both hurried towards the east balcony.

Our pace slowed slightly as we neared our destination, deafening silence hanging in the air of the stone corridor. I arched an eyebrow, giving Edmund a look. He shrugged and grinned as the sound of one-sided threats being hurled by one party joined the screaming.

"Come on Peter, we've lived long enough."

I grinned in return and we stepped around the corner, onto the balcony. I blinked, looking around the same balcony we had eaten dinner on last night. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage still sat on serving trays and plates, untouched. It was almost as if no one had been called to eat yet, it was so perfect. The only evidence of an upset of any kind was a goblet that had been knocked over, the dark juice it had contained staining the table cloth and dripping onto the stone beneath the table.

A breeze stirred, wafting the scents of the ocean and Narnia itself our way. By the railing, backed into a corner as far as they could be, stood the four children that Edmund had brought back from Calormen. Cyrus and Cole were at the back, Cyrus closer to the railing while Cole was against the wall, protected by their older brothers' bodies. Oliver stood slightly behind Jarid, just off his right shoulder. Both of the older boys looked murderous, their bodies tense. Guards and servants of all species stood at alert, some taking cover behind the table.

I nudged Edmund, letting him go before me. He'd rescued them from slavery, taken care of them, and they'd been traveling with him for a few weeks now. If these children trusted anyone here, it was Edmund. My brother took a few steps forward, stopping far enough away that Jarid and Oliver shouldn't feel too threatened, and knelt.

He said nothing, waiting for them to speak first. It didn't take long.

"I'm not letting you hurt my siblings," Jarid growled.

"I don't want to hurt you, or your siblings. No one here does," Edmund replied, his tone soothing.

"What's with the nice breakfast?" he accused, trying to pull Oliver behind him more.

"We're just slaves, we don't deserve something like this. So there has to be a catch," Oliver murmured quietly.

I frowned. I knew what slavery did to someone's self-confidence, I'd seen it before. We'd never dealt with slaves so young though, not directly in any case. It was a disturbing experience, even with all I had seen over my years as a King of Narnia.

"We like to keep those whom we serve well fed. We're nothing like the Calormene Tarkaans you've dealt with," Edmund explained, his tone still quiet and comforting. Cyrus and Cole exchanged glances, uncertainty creeping into their expressions. They obviously wanted to trust Edmund, but there brothers, still did not.

"We've heard that before," Jarid spat. "But you can hardly prove it, can you?"

"Time." The children started and their wary, distrusting gazes moved to rest on me as I spoke. "It'll take time to prove that we don't want to hurt you. But you have to give us that chance, because otherwise you'll spend your life in fear of being mistreated by someone, whether it's us or someone else. And I'm sure any of our subjects would be willing to answer your questions."

"But how do we know that we can trust you?" Oliver asked, his question directed at not me, but my brother. Edmund looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"Some people will always want to hurt you, because they think they're better, and they want to prove it in any way they can. And some people just want to watch the world burn, and people suffer at their hands. But my siblings and I, indeed Narnia itself, are not like them. There's a lot that Narnia can teach you though, about life, and people, and Aslan. But you have to be willing to learn."

"I'm just so tired of being hurt," Oliver murmured, looking for all the world like a vulnerable little boy. Cyrus and Cole nodded in agreement, and Jarid made a face, seeming to be lost in an unpleasant memory from not so long ago. I exchanged glances with Edmund. I understood exactly how he felt now, why he had brought these four home from Calormen with him. They needed Narnia just as much as we did, if in a different way.

"Perhaps we can help you overcome that," I said, smiling softly. Edmund nodded, his eyes resting on Oliver again. Jarid glanced uncertainly at his siblings, before taking a deep breath and nodding slowly. He didn't trust us yet, far from it probably, but he was willing to try.

"What now?" he asked uncertainly.

Edmund chuckled and stood. "Why don't you eat some breakfast first. Then, we were thinking that you'd like to go down to the beach and get a closer look at the beach."

All four of them seemed taken aback by the idea, but that slowly gave way to a tentative excitement, especially for the younger two. Oliver stepped carefully around his older brother and gave a small genuine smile. "Sounds like this could be interesting."


	5. 5: Burnt Offerings

_Here you go, another chapter for your devouring. I hope you enjoy it. I'll look forward to the reviews._

**Chapter Five: Burnt Offerings**

I looked across out over the ocean, shading my eyes from the sun. The reflection cast as sun hit water made me think of thousands of diamonds, sparkling just below the surface. I took a deep breath, letting the smell of salt surround me. I loved living right by the sea, with its beautiful views and being able to swim all the time. There were so many different Animals that lived close by, and there were many nights that I fell asleep to the crashing of the surf. But the best reason was that Aslan came from across the sea to Narnia. I couldn't think of a more perfect place to have Cair Paravel, and I knew my siblings agreed.

I hoped that the children Edmund had brought back with him would fall in love with our home just as much as we had. It was heartbreaking to see what slavery had done to them at such a young age. From what Edmund had told us, and from what I had observed myself, the two oldest had grown up much too fast. Even my brothers and sister and I tried to set aside time to be only children, only siblings, as limited as that time sometimes was. These children hadn't had the same luxury though, trying to stay safe from the horrors that had threatened them.

Each of them had made some sort of impression on me already. Jarid was extremely protective of his siblings, willing to do anything and everything, to keep them safe. He had taken on the role of mother and father, and was clearly the leader of their small family. He was similar to Peter in that way, although much more closed off than my older brother.

Oliver was easier to read, if only slightly. While Jarid was protective of his family as a whole, Oliver was very defensive of Jarid. He cared for his younger siblings deeply, that was obvious. But I could almost see the bond between the two older brothers, comrades and friends as well as brothers by blood and soul. He was almost as untrusting as his big brother, although Edmund seemed to have made a somewhat good impression on him.

Cyrus and Cole, were sweet and innocent still, barely touched by the terrors of slavery. They had yet to say a word in our presence, but the hesitant smiles and bright eyes said more then words could, even when they wouldn't let go of each other's hands.

I whirled around to face my siblings and the children as I heard a shriek. Cyrus and Cole had been digging in the sand by the water's edge, and I wondered if they had fallen into the water. However, they were both sitting on the beach still, Cole drenched to the skin. A wooden bucket from the kitchen lay next to her, and Oliver stood closer to the water, a smug look on his face.

I saw Susan, hands on her hips, move forward to scold him. Both of my brothers were grinning however, obviously approving of the innocent prank. I smiled and started forward to pull the two younger ones up to dryer sand. But before either Susan or I could reach the water's edge, Jarid had tackled his brother, both of them falling into the water with a yelp of surprise from Oliver. Peter's grin widened, and I heard Edmund chuckle to himself. He said something I couldn't hear to Peter, who elbowed him in the ribs gently.

"Jarid!" Oliver complained, kicking his brother off of him and into the shallow water.

"Hey!" Jarid surfaced, shaking water from his hair, which needed a haircut badly. "Ollie, play fair!"

"I am playing fair!" Oliver retorted, struggling away from his brother's grasp.

"You are not!" Jarid said, splashing Oliver before pulling him back into the shallows.

I smiled and knelt down next to the twins, gently brushing back some hair that had fallen into Cole's eyes. She flinched and I bit back a sigh. They were all too young to be so afraid of people and it made my heart hurt. How could anyone be so cruel to their fellows, let alone children? It seemed my siblings and I had our work cut out for us. I saw Cyrus yawn out of the corner of my eye, and his sister followed with a yawn of her own.

"Come on, why don't you come take a nap?"

They exchanged wary glances, looking towards the shoreline where their older brothers were still playing in the surf. Cyrus got to his feet, pulling Cole up with him. She shifted closer to him, letting him take the lead role in absence of Jarid and Oliver. They seemed to become exhausted within minutes. He bit his lip and nodded slowly, reaching out with his other hand and taking one of mine. I smiled and stood, leading them to a nearby blanket we had brought down from the Cair this morning.

"Here," I motioned to the blanket. Both looked from the blanket to me and back again, confusion and hesitancy written in their eyes. I smiled in reassurance, but my stomach was twisting itself into knots. Cyrus took an uncertain step forward, tugging Cole after him. As one, they sat down on the cover, both sets of eyes locked on me.

I took a deep breath, tasting the sea and sweet air on my tongue. There was so much that Narnia could offer these four, just as it had offered each of my siblings and me exactly what we needed. Peter had been born to lead Narnia, he was a king without even needing to try, sometimes it seemed. Edmund had been given redemption and a second chance at life. Susan had found an entire country to mother and look after. And I had grown too. We had all blossomed in Narnia.

Edmund had the most beautiful voice I would ever hear, although he hated for us to remind him of that. Music had always spoken to me though, and I found it as a wonderful way to express everything Narnia was and could be. It was the best way I could think of to introduce our land to them. There were so many different styles of song and music our home though, it was nearly impossible to choose just one for them. I chose to hum the haunting melody that the merpeople sang the night before, remembering how it captivated the children's attention.

Eyes closed slowly, and the twins curled closer to each other, seeking comfort more than warmth, I imagined. I let the song die slowly and smiled softly. From the corner of my eye I saw Jarid and Oliver leaving the water for the warmer sand, both of them smiling brightly. I wondered when was the last time they had truly been children, and made a face. Something told me it had been years, probably since their parents had died.

I moved closer, coming to stand by Susan as she handed both boys towels to dry off. Oliver quickly peeled off his soaked tunic, and Jarid followed suit, both of the younger boys shivering in the slight breeze. Oliver wrapped the towel around himself while Jarid started to towel off his hair.

A flash of raised flesh caught my attention, and I nudged Susan gently. She glanced my way and followed my gaze to Jarid.

"We should do that again," Oliver tugged on Jarid's arm as he said so, his eyes already trained on the glittering water again. Jarid laughed and turned away from us to respond. I heard Susan gasp and I caught her hand, my eyes widening in horror. Both Jarid and Oliver froze, looking at each other with a mixture of fear and confusion dancing in their eyes.

"Did we do something wrong? Forgive us, Queen Susan, we didn't mean to," Jarid hastily stepped in front of his younger brother, bowing deeply, ready to take the blame for whatever he thought his brother had done to upset us. Susan shook her head, unable to look away from Jarid's shoulder. Peter and Edmund frowned, both sitting up from where they'd been lounging in the sand.

"Su?"

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Peter asked, his frown deepening. I motioned to Jarid, still trying to find my voice. My brothers followed my gesture, both of them spotting the same brand that Susan and I had seen. The skin around it was a bit discolored, the symbol visible against the skin, without dye. I glanced way from it, looking to my siblings. Disgust was obvious in Edmund's eyes, not for the boys, but for those who had done this to them. Peter was absolutely furious, it read in his face and the way his body had tensed. Everything about Susan screamed pity at the moment, especially the tears that pooled in her eyes. I turned to look back at Jarid and Oliver, both of whom were eyeing us warily.

"We just noticed your . . . mark," I murmured, managing to find my voice somehow.

Jarid blinked in confusion and glimpsed down at his shoulder. He looked up, understanding dawning in his eyes, and glanced back at Oliver, who simply shrugged in return. I couldn't read either of them as they turned to face us, Oliver moving to his brother's side.

"It's a bit funny, I suppose. See, the brand is the Calormene symbol of freedom. It means that the rich are free to own other people. Free to own people like us. There's actually a law that anyone with this brand will always be subject to seizure; because who in Calormen would ever _free_ a slave?" Jarid shrugged, his voice flat.

"That's how we were caught," Oliver said, disturbingly calm about the whole thing. "They saw our brands."

"That's awful," Susan whispered, her voice tight with pain. Jarid shook his head, looking a bit bemused.

"That's Calormen, Queen Susan. That, is the life of a slave."

"Do Cyrus and Cole . . . ?" I asked. I wasn't sure what age slaves were first branded in Calormen, and I prayed to Aslan that the younger two had escaped such a horrid thing, even if their brothers had not.

"Yes," Oliver admitted, sorrow coloring his tone slightly. "They were given their brands about six months or so ago. They've already forgotten the actual memory, for what small favors are worth."

I felt sick to my stomach. Small favors were little things, helpful things from everyday life, not being thankful that your younger siblings could no longer remember the pain and terror of being branded.

"We're sorry," Susan said, brushing at the tears that threatened to fall. I nodded, not sure that was really anything else to add. Jarid and Oliver shrugged as one, both looking a little uncomfortable now.

"Aren't we going to get brands here?" Oliver asked, his voice shaking a bit. My heart clenched in my chest. They couldn't really think we would do such a thing, could they? We would never do something so terrible, even if slavery hadn't been outlawed in Narnia.

"No," Peter shook his head. "No, you will never go through that kind of pain, or treatment, again. You are safe here, and you will be treated as any Narnian citizen would be. You are not slaves any longer."

Jarid offered a half-smile, as though he wasn't sure whether to believe Peter or not. Oliver smiled, his gaze traveling to the sea again, as though he couldn't wait to play among the surf once more. Edmund smiled, chuckling quietly.

"Go ahead, go play," he said, his smile widening. "There are no pressing matters today. Tomorrow you will be introduced to your nursemaid."

I couldn't help but giggle at the look Jarid and Oliver exchanged before Oliver tugged on Jarid's arm, pulling him back down to the water's edge. Jarid turned to follow him, laughing at how excited Oliver was and teasing him that he'd hated sailing down here. I frowned to myself as I caught another brand, this one closer to the base of his neck, that Oliver didn't have. I shook my head and shrugged it off. It was just another Calormen brand, cruel and unneeded. Laughter once again filled the air and I smiled, thinking that maybe Narnia was helping these children already.


	6. 6: Torva

_Hey guys, as always, I apologize for how long the chapter took, this time I don't blame anyone but me, and my inability to write. However, it's finally here and I hope you all still enjoy this story as much as I do. Happy Be-lated Valentine's day, here is your gift. And thank you E for the great Beta_

**Chapter 6: Torva**

I watched King Edmund as he led us through several sets of confusing corridors, back towards what I thought was the room we had been staying in. He and his brother led the way, their sisters chatting as they followed, leaving my siblings and me to follow behind carefully.

Well . . .Jarid was being careful. I was more curious then anything else. Throughout our time in the castle, I had grown more and more curious about the Narnians, from their way of life to their kings and queens. No one had tried to hurt us yet, and not even the servants treated us as lower than they were treated, which was actually quite well. It was almost as if they actually cared about us.

I hadn't voiced my thoughts to my older brother. It was strange, keeping quiet about something such as this, but I didn't think that he was ready to accept that these people might not be so very bad. I couldn't blame him either, not with all we had been through. Trusting someone meant they could twist you any way they wanted.

I glanced at Jarid, offering a smile to negate the frown he had been wearing since this morning. That had been when Queen Lucy had reminded us of our impending meeting with our nursemaid. I wasn't really sure what a nursemaid was, exactly. I knew Jarid didn't either, but he seemed to take the promised meeting more as a threat then anything else. I wondered if it truly was something to fear, this person called nursemaid. The way the Kings and Queens smiled it wasn't, it was something to be looked forward to, a blessing we had never been able to touch before. I wanted to believe their smiles, wanted to let the hope fighting to get out a chance, but I was reminded with a nagging uncertainty of the Tarkaans by whom we had been owned. They were the ones who smiled as they hit someone, the ones who laughed when their slaves let their fear show. I wanted to think that wouldn't happen again, but the new, the unknown, frightened me.

"Here we are," Queen Susan spoke, her smile kind as she turned towards us. All of them were smiling, something I wanted to hope was a good sign. I looked towards the door of the room we had stayed in the past several nights. Whatever was behind there was a nursemaid, an unknown person who was supposed to become something to us. I hadn't found the courage to ask King Edmund what a nursemaid was.

"What. . ." I asked quietly, unable to finish the statement, the unasked question hanging in the air. King Peter's smile seemed to grow, and he motioned to the door. I took a deep breath, my hand finding Jarid's despite my best intentions to seem brave. He tugged me closer, and led the way into the room, and to whatever a nursemaid was.

In front of me, more realistic and larger then I had ever imagined one, stood a Tiger.

It was orange and white, and utterly breathtaking as it stood there, watching us. It had great paws, large enough to easily dispatch any of us, and I was sure there were claws to match. I had heard stories in Carlomen of tigers ripping people apart, that they were vicious and bloodthirsty. Of course, I had also heard stories of Narnia being a land full of dark magic and evil intents, and I had seen nothing but kindness since we had set foot upon the shore. Despite the fact that everything I had ever heard of Narnian tigers said to be afraid of them, I wasn't. I couldn't find the fear or the will be on guard. Something about this creature was utterly calming.

"You, are my new cubs?" The Tiger spoke, and I heard Cole gasp softly, while I almost jumped out of my skin. After living in a world where Animals did not talk, to meet the ones that did was a constant surprise. I wasn't sure who should speak first, who should answer the question, and so I remained very silent, a defense mechanism ingrained into me after our parents had died.

"I. . . excuse me?" Jarid finally managed. I could feel the monarchs behind us, watching with amusement, but didn't turn. If this was some kind of test, a chance for us to prove we were more then slaves, I was determined to pass it with flying colors.

The Tiger padded forward, coming closer to us. It was Cyrus who first reached out to touch Torva's fur, clutching a handful of it as though it was a security blanket. Now that I was closer, I could see the fur, and it looked like the velvet of fine clothes to me. The colors were richer up close, the orange giving way to the white, the two colors blending together perfectly. Jarid bit his lip, and I could see the indecision to pull Cyrus away warring in his eyes. Did he trust that the monarchs meant us no harm and let Cyrus do as he was, or did he pull our little brother back, protector once more? I wondered if he ever got tired of playing our constant protector. I knew I was tired of always being scared.

The Tiger nuzzled Cyrus, knocking him back a step from the force of the nudge and making him giggle. "My name is Torva, and you are my new cubs," she -it was defiantly a she- introduced herself.

"It is nice to meet you Tor-" my older brother started, but he never finished greeting her. I cut him off, suddenly unable to bear the unknown any longer.

"What's a nursemaid?" I felt everyone's eyes on me, but I didn't look away from the Tiger. . . Torva. She turned her gaze to mine, and I almost felt as if she was smiling as she stepped away from my younger brother, closer to me. Her eyes were full of life, a deep gold in color and warm with kindness and. . . could it be love? I paused, studying the emotion I saw, but was so hesitant to name, comparing it to the emotion I knew I saw when I looked into Jarid's eyes.

They weren't the same emotion, but when compared to one another they were close. Jarid loved me, I knew he did, he had told me countless times before. Therefore I knew the emotion in his eyes could be classified as love, and was comfortable doing so. There was something about the look in Torva's eyes, that made it eerily similar, and yet completely different from the one my brother had. I felt as though I had seen it before, a long time ago. I bit my lip in thought, trying to place that emotion that look in her eyes. I strained for the memory as it dangled, just out of reach.

"A nursemaid, means I take care of you, protect you. You become my cubs. My cubs will also protect you," she explained, her gaze never leaving mine, and I felt as if her smile was growing.

"That's. . .not so bad," I murmured. She chuckled.

"Vede," Cole said, speaking for the first time in the presence of people other then her siblings in a very long time. Jarid and I glanced at her, awestruck by her naming. In that moment, the memory I had been grasping surged to the front of my mind.

My mother, smiling warmly as she motioned to Jarid and I to go play outside, her eyes full of the same emotion Torva's were. That motherly emotion, a mother looking at her children and feeling proud, knowing they were hers, a mother's love.

"Vede?" she repeated curiously.

"Vede, is the name of the Calormene Goddess of Mothers. She is one of the lesser Calormene Deities. In the culture, her name is often given as a nickname for mothers," King Edmund answered, and I turned my eyes to him. He smiled at me, and I felt myself smile in return.

"Yes, she is," Jarid nodded, and my smile grew as he put an arm over my shoulder. Maybe we could find a place here in Narnia after all.

The idea of belonging to someone again, demanded attention. According to Calormene law I had belonged to many people, most of them great Tarkaans who called me their slave. I belonged to the Calormene and Narnian governments, I belonged to my brothers and sister, and once upon a time, I even belonged to my parents. The concept of belonging to someone again, of belonging to Torva however, did not frighten me. Her very presence seemed to put me at ease, and with a start I realized something that would become a vital part of what would shape me in years to come.

I did not belong to anyone, save if I allowed them to have me. I might be traded and paid for, kicked around and talked down to, but in the end it was me, and me alone who decided to whom I belonged. And looking into Torva's eyes, I could not help but hope, just a bit, that she truly wanted us, truly desired to give us a home. To be desired again, as more then property, made me feel as though I could fly.

I glanced away from Torva to look at the monarchs who stood behind us. If a Tiger could want us minutes after meeting us, could want us and desire to give us a home, then perhaps these kings and queens wanted us too. It was possible, just possible, that they really did care, and if that were true, then maybe we were finding our place in this world.


	7. 7: Of Love, Time, and Trees

Hey guys, an update for you during the humid summer months. Stay cool and hydrated, enjoy the update, and thanks.

Dedicated to my adopted brother E.C. and my best friend Shannon, for helping me out. And E, as always

**Chapter 7: Of Love, Time, and Trees**

"There you two are. Why didn't I look here first?"

I looked up to see Susan navigating between the shelves of the library, her course set for Peter and me where we had buried ourselves amongst books on history and law, respectively. With a flutter of skirts Susan took a seat in an available chair, smiling as she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. Peter noted his place and closed his own heavy tome, setting it on the table in front of us.

"Why were you looking for us?" I smiled at my siblings, my own book still sitting open on my lap. We had a bit of time before tea, and had retreated to the library in an attempt to get some reading done. In hindsight, maybe the library wasn't the best hiding spot in the Cair, but it did have all the books.

"I know you both have a tendency to loose yourself in something if you find it interesting, and tea will be ready soon. I thought I'd come find you to make sure you weren't late," Susan smiled warmly despite her teasing. I rolled my eyes good naturedly, putting the book in my lap on the table.

"You were with Torva earlier today, la?" I asked. It had been a little more then two weeks since we had introduced the four orphans to their new nursemaid, a Tigress who had more then enough experience in raising cubs, and from what I had seen, things had gone well. The children were starting to open up to her, and open up to other around them a bit as well. It was a comforting thing to see Narnia beginning to heal them the way it healed me a few years ago and continued to make me better every day with my siblings help. Susan nodded.

"You would not believe the changes taking place. Cyrus and Cole are more apt to smile now, although neither of them have spoken a word as of yet. They met Torva's other cubs today."

"None of which can be called cubs anymore," Peter pointed out. I snorted at the idea of calling Torva's children cubs.

"How did they handle meeting them?" I asked curiously. Ricanus, Manicus, and Tiberius were part of the palace guard, and Tonia and Vinia had just begun the training required to become part of the patrols. They hadn't seemed terrified of Torva, but Torva was not a full-fledged member of the army.

"The children were a bit frightened, but Torva was with them, and so was I. Ricanus, Manicus and Tiberius convinced Jarid and Oliver to come play with them after introductions, which Torva strongly insisted they do outside. Jarid and Oliver wanted to climb trees, and they were off fairly quickly. Tonia and Vinia kept an eye on Cyrus and Cole, and chatted with Torva and me. It was a very nice afternoon, I enjoyed it."

Peter smiled and nodded. "Now the last thing on our list is to find them a tutor." He looked toward me. "You had someone in mind, Ed?"

"I have a few learned Animals in mind actually. One is an Elephant named Hanan, one is a Raven that goes by Velasco, and the other is a wolf by the name of Coinin. They're all very well learned and patient enough to teach the children. I have interviews scheduled with each of them."

"I think Velaso would be the best choice," Susan said thoughtfully, twirling the loose strand of hair between her fingers. "He certainly is patient, and he's incredibly well versed on all subjects, he could answer any question they could throw at him."

I shrugged, holding my own judgment until I had interviewed all three. "I'll have to see who fits the position the best. Now I believe you said something about tea, Su?" She shook her head indulgently, standing gracefully.

"Come on then, we can discuss this more later." Peter and I scooped up the many books that were piled upon the table as we stood.

"One moment." Peter smiled charmingly, already heading for the history section of the Cair's library. I moved in my own direction, intent on putting away the many volumes before we left for tea. Once each was returned to its space on the shelf, I made my way back to the table where Susan was waiting. Peter joined us shortly thereafter and we left the library, heading for today's tea location, which Susan informed us was on the balcony facing the sea. We apparently had a few of our fellow Narnians joining us today.

"By the way, Torva informs me that Cyrus and Cole's nightmares are starting to lessen as the nights go by," Susan said. She adjusted her crown, even though I thought it had been just fine a moment ago.

"Time," Peter nodded. "I told them a few weeks ago, when they had first arrived, time was the only thing that could really heal their wounds."

"And love," our sister added confidently. "Love from the people around them is helping them heal just as much."

I nodded silently, lost in my own thoughts. Love from my siblings and those around us had helped me, and in some cases, time was the only thing that could heal wounds that ran deep. I still held firmly that Narnia herself had something to do with the entire process. Our land was full of secrets and wonders and magic.

Lucy spotted the three of us as we came into view of the balcony and hurried down the corridor to meet us, her smile bright. "Oh, you'll never guess what happened!"

"What Lu?" Peter asked, giving her a quick hug. Her eyes were dancing with amusement as she pulled back from the hug to look at us.

"Ricanus and his siblings had to go, but Jarid and Oliver didn't want to come in yet. Even when Torva ordered they get down from the trees, they didn't listen." She paused in her story and giggled. Obviously nothing bad had happened since the tale was so amusing to my younger sister. "Jarid eventually got down, but Oliver still wasn't listening to Torva. She didn't like that so…"

"They aren't hurt are they?" Susan jumped, worry written all over her face. Lucy gave her an exasperated look.

"No, of course not. Torva would never hurt them. She did let Oliver know who was in charge though." Her eyes shone and she beamed at us. "He came down to the lowest branch and she gave him this_ look_. It took him a minute, but he came down. And when he did, she grabbed his tunic in her mouth and carried him all the way back to the room they're all in right now." She hid her smile behind her hand.

Peter and I both burst out laughing. "That'll teach him to ignore her again," Peter said after he'd regained his breath. I shook my head, still chuckling, the image of the formidable tigress carrying Oliver by the tunic back to his room. He wasn't hurt if Lucy found it so amusing, and it was a good sign that the children were learning how to be children again, not slaves.

"He'll be alright, it will be good for him." I shrugged and gestured toward the balcony, where they were obviously ready for us. "Shall we?"

Lucy grinned, skipping back to the table. Susan followed, smiling to herself as she started to organize the tea, in her element. I smiled at Peter and followed our sisters out.

"Cheroom wants to meet them remember," Peter mentioned. "Maybe after you find them a tutor you should do that. You did promise."

"Yes, and then Lucy and Susan can unveil their rooms to them," I said thoughtfully. Peter nodded.

"Hopefully they'll be ready for the separate rooms." I thought of the adjoining rooms that Susan and Lucy and their ladies-in-waiting had planned out for Cyrus and Cole, and the room waiting for Jarid and Oliver. They would be together, an idea of Peter's.

"They will, Peter, they will."


End file.
